"The thing I like best (about this class) was there were guys who really wanted to be at Michigan. They appreciate what Michigan has to offer and they can understand it both as a football powerhouse and an academic powerhouse, it provides both," Harbaugh said Wednesday night. "There's no one in (this class) that thinks they're doing us the favor.

"It's equal. That's what I like the most."

During the opening day of the new early signing period, Michigan signed 16 of its 19 committed prospects for 2018. By day's end, Michigan's class ranked No. 12 nationally per 247sports.com, No. 3 in the Big Ten.

This group did not have the star power of Harbaugh's previous two classes, as Michigan signed the country's No. 1-ranked player in 2016 (Rashan Gary) and a pair of five-star prospects in February (Aubrey Solomon and Donovan Peoples-Jones).

But it's a class Harbaugh says he appreciated on a deep level. A rounded class. A class he believes will be a big help to his program.

"I like the production in football, guys who are record-setters, we've got state champions and productive (people) who are also productive in the classroom," Harbaugh said. "They're coming here to get a degree and their parents expect them to get a very good degree.

"They're not going to college to major in eligibility. They're going to major in a legitimate discipline, there's going to be rigor here and they welcome that."

Quarterback Joe Milton, a four-star prospect out of Orlando. He's 6-5, 220 pounds, and is known for his big arm, but also his potential athleticism.(Photo: Photo courtesy of Chris Nee/247Sports)

Michigan signed three of its top four ranked prospects during the first day of the early period: four-star tight end Mustapha Muhammad, four-star corner Myles Sims and four-star quarterback Joe Milton. Four-star linebacker Otis Reese, the class' top-ranked pledge, has not signed.

The group featured some international flavor, as Michigan netted a pledge from German-born three-star defensive end Julius Welschof. It also featured some sport mixing, as three-star wide receiver Ronnie Ball turned down the chance to play college basketball. Ball will sign financial aid papers later this week.

Milton is one of two quarterbacks committed to the 2018 class, but the only one who signed Wednesday. Three-star passer Kevin Doyle told the Free Press earlier this week he's still firm with Michigan but plans to sign formally in February.

In Milton, Harbaugh believes he's found a powerful (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) quarterback with great upside.

Traverse City West four-star OL Ryan Hayes. At 6 feet 7 and 252 pounds, he's the No. 17 tackle in the nation and the state's No. 3 player, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Jan-Michael Stump, Traverse City Record-Eagle

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

"Just blessed by mom, dad and God. He's very physically talented and he's got a real fire to be great," Harbaugh said. "Every time I'm around him he's working on something. If he's walking down the hall in school, he's working on a move or a drop. He thinks about football all the time. He's sending us videos of his daily progress.

"He'll be here in 10 days and he's got an unbelievable drive about him."

Wednesday was Michigan's first dip into the new world of college football's early signing period. The change tightened the schedule and made Michigan work on time management, as the staff was tasked with wrapping up the bulk of the recruiting class while also prepping for the team's Outback Bowl game against South Carolina on Jan. 1.

But Harbaugh says the experience was positive. He knows Michigan will have more time to put the finishing touches on its 2018 class in February. Whether or not the Wolverines have another "Signing of the Stars" show to cap it all off is still up in the air.

"It's been good, I was very excited last night. I could hardly sleep," Harbaugh said. "Just the way I am the night before the signing day in February. I experienced that. Experienced the joy from the players and their families of today and now we have two of those days. I'm happy.

"We managed it well. It was maybe a little busier than it would've normally been (in December), but there's so many hours in the day and we (worked them). ... You love doing it, though. It doesn't seem like working. Doing either coaching or recruiting."

Michigan's class stands at 19 players right now. That number will likely rise by the time the regular signing period hits in February, but it won't be as large as the last two classes Michigan's put together. Harbaugh's 2016 and 2017 groups featured nearly 60 players combined.

It might not be as deep. And the star rankings weren't as high.

But Harbaugh still loves his haul.

"It was the same approach," he said. "You want the guys who get the best grades, win the most awards and excel at sports."